By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
At a time when many people drive past strangers in crisis, or videotape a crime on their phones, there are still people who stop and help.
The Black Swamp Humanitarian Awards committee is looking for those local heroes.
Since its inception in 1989, the Black Swamp Humanitarian Awards have recognized 473 people for their heroic acts.
Now the committee behind the awards needs the public’s help honoring people who have made heroic efforts to help others. As of the Monday meeting of the committee, only one person had been nominated.
The committee members suspect there are far more who deserve recognition.
“This is really important to be able to thank people for going above and beyond,” Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn said.
Over the last three decades, awards have been given to people who performed extraordinary acts – many times for people they didn’t even know.
Recognized last year were a few people who assisted friends or family – but most sprung into action for strangers. Some had been trained for emergency response, while some reacted purely on instinct. And some put themselves at great risk doing so.
Many of the award recipients denied being heroes, saying they just did what needed to be done. They encouraged others to respond when they see someone in need, rather than passing them by.
This year’s awards ceremony, on Nov. 10, will recognize heroic efforts that took place over the past year.
In many cases, the ceremony provides an opportunity for the people saved to meet with the person who rescued them.
The criteria for Black Swamp Humanitarian Awards are as follows:
Good Samaritan: For outstanding service to an unknown person, at no risk to their own life.
Life Risk: For risking one’s life to help another.
Beyond the Call of Duty: For a firefighter, law enforcement officer or emergency medical technician who goes beyond the call of duty in helping a person.
Service to Others: For outstanding service to another human being by providing out-of-the-ordinary assistance.
Anyone who knows someone who may qualify for an award is asked to submit a nomination by the deadline of Oct. 9. Nominations may be sent to: Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn, 1960 E. Gypsy Lane Road, Bowling Green, OH, 43402, or mwasylyshyn@woodcountyohio.gov., or called in to the sheriff’s office at 419-354-9008.
Following are some of the people awarded last year for their heroic actions.
- Bruce Trout, Bowling Green, was recognized for helping at an accident scene. A driver of another car passing the scene struck Trout, nearly severing his leg. Trout, whose leg had to be amputated, encouraged others to not ignore those in need. “If you’re able to help, you should. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
- Ohio State Patrol troopers and Perrysburg Police officers were honored for rendering care to a motorcyclist who was thrown from his bike. The officers put tourniquets on the driver’s right arm and both legs. He lost his right leg below the knee, and his left leg above the knee, and has partial use of his right arm – but officers were credited with saving his life.
- Four people were honored for intervening during a felonious assault in downtown Bowling Green. They responded when a man was being attacked by several other men. One of the Good Samaritans was seriously injured when he intervened.
- A group of Ohio National Guard soldiers were recognized for aiding at an accident scene. The soldiers were headed back to the armory in Walbridge when they witnessed a car crash, extracted the unconscious driver, and rendered aid to help her regain consciousness.
- An Elmwood cross country runner was credited with stopping during a race for a competitor on the ground in a wooded area. She ran back a mile to get an adult, then ran back to help carry the unconscious runner out of the woods.
- A Bowling Green man was recognized for preventing an apartment building fire, when he saw a car smoking under the hood. The driver parked the car under an awning close to apartments, popped the hood and saw the engine burst into flames. The bystander got the keys from the owner, put the vehicle in neutral and pushed the car away from the awning and building.
- A Bowling Green refuse collection driver, assisted a citizen who appeared to be in distress. While on his regular route, he noticed a person had fallen on their porch. He stopped to check on the man and found him bleeding and unable to answer questions. He remained with the man until paramedics arrived.
- A woman driving along U.S. 25 noticed an elderly woman walking and stumbling just off the edge of the roadway. The driver and her family stopped, offered care, and stayed till Weston EMS arrived. The woman told the EMS that she had gone for a walk, became disoriented and could not find her way home.
- The director of food services for the Wood County Committee on Aging was subbing on a meal delivery route, when she found the door locked at the Troy Township home. She heard stumbling inside the house, and when the senior finally opened the door, she immediately smelled gas inside. She turned off an unlit stove burner, opened windows and called 911.
- A newspaper carrier was on her route when she noticed a glow along the horizon on Custar Road. When she reached the house, the flames were quite high. She and a friend banged on the door and called 911. While shouting for anyone inside to get out, they heard voices from behind the house, where the residents had just escaped out the back door.
- An Eastwood and Penta Career Center student, rendered lifesaving care to a motorist involved in a crash on Lemoyne Road. He got into the vehicle with the unconscious driver, who happened to be a classmate of his. He took C-spine precautions to make sure there were no further injuries. He held that position until the firefighters could get the driver out of the vehicle.
- A 10-year-old was recognized for helping her grandma who was choking on her dinner and couldn’t talk.
